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MacDon Unveils Harvesting Equipment on Tour

Upgraded M-Series windrowers featured.

Dec 14, 2007

MacDon enters 2008 with a newly-unveiled line of harvesting equipment designed to emphasize the firm's trade moniker, The Harvesting Specialists. The new line includes hay and newly improved hay forage equipment and harvest headers.

Producers will have a chance to see this equipment in action during the firm's Cut Across America Tour which begins in California and Arizona in March and continues into New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. The tour will then turn north harvesting crops available until it ends in Canada. Overall, farmers in 28 states and provinces will get the chance to see, and drive, the new gear before the tour ends. For more information on the tour, click on www.cutacrossamerica.com.

Windrowers

The 2008 lineup includes a new rendition of the firm's SP Windrower with features to make it more productive in the field and faster on the highway. The new M-Series self-propelled windrower feature MacDon's patented Dual Direction technology which allows 180-degree rotation of the operator station for road stability. The machines have a top field speed of 16 mph and a top road speed of 23 mph. The M-Series comes in two models, the M150 and the M200. The M150 is powered with a 130 hp. 4.5 L turbo QSB Cummins diesel engine that delivers an additional 10 hp as the load increases. The M200 is moved by a 213 hp 6.6 L Perkins turbo diesel which can knock out 220 hp as rpm drops. Both engines have been configured with torque characteristics designed around MacDon's tractor and header requirements and can be mounted on all of MacDon's next generation headers. The M-Series also has a fully computerized header control and monitoring system to provide the operator with real time readouts of the header's cutting performance. In addition, the M-Series has a 45-inch stance for clearance of large windrows and sports a new hydraulic header drive with load sensing circuits to keep up with varying loads.

Rotary Mower

Another entry in this year's MacDon rollout is an all new rotary disc mower – the R80. Hydraulically driven the R80 provides a high capacity pump and motor for faster cutting speeds under heavy conditions. The new model uses fewer moving parts than some competitive disc mowers, and features heat-treated cutting and wear components for improved reliability. One of the unique features of the R80 is its articulated power turn hitch which yields extremely accurate maneuverability, enabling the tractor operator make much tighter turns than with conventional mowers. The R80 pull-type is available with a 13 ft. cutting width, and in 13 and 16 ft. widths as a header for MacDon's new M-Series Windrowers.

Draper Flex Header

The company's new 40 ft. FD70 draper flex header brings a unique three-section flex frame to allow ground-hugging ability and a balanced floating action in undulating fields. While on level ground the three sections lock together to form a rigid profile header, offering extensive flexibility for field conditions. The header rides on powerful coil springs to meet the changing contours of rolling fields and maintains a close relationship between the reel and the knives for improved harvest efficiency. MacDon has equipped the FD70 with an auto header height control (Float Optimizer), which allows the header to automatically adjust floatation to ground conditions, eliminating the need for constant adjustments. The FD70 is available for most current model combines (Class 6 up to Class 9) and comes in a 30- and 35 ft. version for those wanting a smaller header.

Rigid Draper Header

The new D60 draper header from MacDon shows steady improvement on the company's successful 972 Harvest Header, promising 40% more capacity for today's largest combines and MacDon's new M-Series Windrower Tractors. Available in up to 45 ft. widths, the D60 features a hydraulic knife drive, larger capacity motors, sealed roller bearings and V-guide reversible drapers, and a new from-the-ground-up redesigned PR15 pickup reel. The D60 comes in 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 ft widths for combine and SP applications. The 45 ft header is not available for SP Windrowers.

A Series Auger

MacDon's lineup continues with the new A Series Auger for hay and forage harvesting, available in pull-type and SP header models. Improvements on the new auger include adjustable conditioning, a new heavy-duty cutter bar design and beefier overall construction. The augers feature exclusive N-bar conditioner rolls which provide conditioning from "kink" to a gentle crushing action. The operator also can switch between close cut and longer stubble cutting lengths with manual or optional hydraulic guard angle adjustment on all models. The pull-type augers are being released in 14 and 16 ft. cutting widths, while SP models come in 14, 16 and 18 ft. widths.